Country

EXCLUSIVE: Chris Bandi Interview

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Rising country star Chris Bandi is one of the few musicians who managed to thrive despite the pandemic in 2020. He dropped his seven-track self-titled EP in May, made his Grand Ole Opry debut, but also released two music videos. Before touring was cut short, Bandi had also embarked on a tour with Matt Stell.

We caught up with Chris Bandi to know all about his crazy year!

Stage Right Secrets | Happy New Year, Chris! Do you have any resolutions?
Chris Brandi | Happy New Year! I actually do, I left myself get a little crazy with the sweets over the holiday break so this year I want to make sure I’m eating healthy and hitting the gym more than last year! I’d also like to break 80 out on the golf course haha

Was there anything that surprised you when you made your Opry debut last year?
It surprised me how incredibly nice and grateful everyone was that I was there! I kept laughing thinking “I don’t know why they’re so glad I’m here, I AM THE ONE that is so grateful they invited me to come play!”

You released an EP last May, can we expect an LP soon?
Absolutely, I’m not entirely sure when but we’ve been spending a lot of time writing over zoom so we’ve got some great stuff in our back pocket!

What is the story behind your latest single, “Would Have Loved Her”?
I wrote “Would Have Loved Her” about my grandpa who passed away about six months before I met my girlfriend. I just knew that had he been around and had the chance to meet her he would have loved her! I took that idea into a write with my good friend Zach Kale and he told me that his father had passed away before he met his wife. It was a very therapeutic write for both of us. The whole time we shared stories about his dad and my grandpa. It was definitely a special day.

Do you have a set songwriting structure?
I really don’t, I think that’s the best part about songwriting. Every day is something different!

What do you hope listeners take away from your music?
One of the biggest things I hope listeners take away is the truth behind it. One of the best pieces of advice I got when I moved to town was to write about things I know about and to tell MY truth. That’s what I try to do with everything I write.

What have you been reading, watching and listening to during the pandemic?
I’ve been listening to a lot of albums that I loved growing up, the albums that made me fall in love with music! We’ve also been binging every HBOMAX and Netflix so we can!

What do you think the future of the music industry is going to look like?
I think we are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel (thank God). I believe it will get back to normal, it might take a little bit longer but we’ve started to see some shows pop on the calendar so we are very excited to get back out and play some music!